Meet Me When the Cars Collide
by Taraiana
Summary: Lizzy is a NYC fashion designer who is just becoming famous. Darcy is a wealthy CEO whose sister is missing. Enemies on both sides are plotting against our heroes while Darcy tries to win Lizzy's heart, find his sister, and sort out the chaos around them.
1. Good Morning?

**Meet Me When the Cars Collide**

Chapter One: Good Morning?

Lizzy Bennet woke up to the sound of her alarm at 8 AM on a Saturday. Except her alarm more closely resembled the Entertainer by Scott Joplin, and it didn't come from her alarm clock, but her Blackberry. Sunlight was streaming out from her window and it illuminated her room. She sighed, happily, smiling to herself about the beauty of the new day, dressed, and escaped her bedroom into the roomy kitchen of her apartment.

Daniel was already up and about, but then, as a fifteen-year-old boy, he had tons of energy. He also did crash onto his bed at 10 last night after his visit to his dad. Visiting his parents always made him want to go home and sleep away all the pain they gave him, but we'll get to the rest of the family as we meet them in our story. Daniel was pretty content this morning because he survived his Bad Friday and had another week until he had to see his mother, when it would turn into an Evil Friday (because while Dad is horrible, Mom is just that much worse). He decided to think about his convoluted and twisted family another time and enjoy breakfast with his actual guardian, who just happened to be his sister, Lizzy.

Daniel got out his favorite Honey Nut Cheerios and shoveled it into two bowls. He got the milk and pineapple juice from the fridge, two glasses from one of the cabinets, and two spoons from the silverware drawer. Lizzy skipped into the room and plopped herself down into one of the stools situated about the kitchen's island.

"Morning," greeted Daniel.

"Good morning, loverly brother of mine! It's _such_ a beautiful day!" Lizzy replied.

"It's strange how your behavior in the morning can be influenced by the weather, but, I think I like it."

"Just wait 'till it rains! Who will like it then?" Lizzy teased. Daniel smiled in response and the two siblings sat in contented silence, munching their cereal.

Lizzy got up from her stool and went into their living room area to locate her sketch book and drawing pencils.

"Danny, I'm off to the park for a walk, mmkay?" She grabbed her Degas ballerina tote bag from the Met museum, threw in her pencils, Blackberry, and wallet, and opened the apartment door.

"Lemme know if anything climactic happens while I'm gone, call me if you need me, and don't eat anything poisonous!"

"Ha, ha, very funny, but we both know it was only an allergic reaction and it was the first time I ate a kiwi, so how was I to know my face would blow up?!"

"Excuses, excuses. Just don't leave the phone unattended, I expect a call from Jane about the…"

"Goodbye!" Daniel called, and shut the door on his sister. She was the best sort of parent (well, guardian in actuality), really, but she always had everything on her mind. He was certain she needed a distraction, but what?

~*~*~*~

Lizzy loved walks on the weekends. It was the best time to actually come up with new ideas, and she knew that all her best ideas came when she went on her walks. It was a win-win situation with little room for failure. Lizzy was an up-and-coming-practically-famous fashion designer, looking forward to the release of her fall collection. She called her fashion line _The Era_. Its namesake derived from her first name, Elizabeth, and from her Grandfather Gardiner's love for Queen Elizabeth and the Elizabethan Era. He told her that the good queen was her namesake and that he chose it. When Elizabeth was born, her parents were in lust and completely enthralled with each other, so they acquiesced with Grandfather's decision to name her Elizabeth. Sadly, they were not in anything close to lust, or love for that matter, anymore. Not that she cared, really. Her parents hated her for reasons she didn't get. Grandfather, on the other hand, understood her.

Lizzy shook her head and sighed. She wasn't unhappy with her life, but the loss of Grandfather two years ago was still a heavy weight upon her. She finally concluded her short avenue-crossing journey and reached Central Park. Lizzy stood still, and took in her green and gorgeous surroundings, and soaked up the sun.

She was about to sit upon a large rock and assume the position of a diligent designer when she heard a thundering, earth-shattering crash come from behind her. Lizzy turned slowly, afraid to see what her ears had heard. She gasped, cautiously walked toward the scene, and dialed 9-1-1.

~*~*~*~

She was sprawled, spread-eagled, on the asphalt. She was unconscious and bleeding from her left arm. The bones were obviously fractured, and if the girl were awake, she would be screaming in pain. Lizzy's eyes traced her willowy figure and rested upon the girl's face. She had a straight, almost noble nose, rounded cheeks, and a rosebud mouth. She was bleeding above her brow, and the rust of the dried blood stained her dark golden waves. The pale girl looked bruised, weak, and helpless, ethereal and innocent. The girl made all who looked at her want to hug her and take her home – she was absolutely precious.

The ambulance arrived shortly after the police did. The scene was completely horrible. The driver of the black Lexus that the girl was thrown out of was dead. He had been a handsome man, but he was dressed in clothes that would label him as a tool. The couple in the blue Toyota was killed in the collision as well. Their bodies were identified by officers and they were quickly wrapped up and taken away from the scene.

It was evident after the search of the destroyed Lexus that _that_ car was at fault for the accident. There were two bottles of cheap vodka in the passenger seat. One of the shattered bottles was completely dry and the other made contact with the windshield and rained alcohol over the front of the car. The police officers quickly extracted all items and the body from the car because they were uncertain if a spontaneous fire would be ignited.

The trunk was sealed like a tomb and it was called to attention by the police that the car would be needed to be suspect to further inspection.

The location of the girl on the street was mysterious as well. She was a few feet from and behind the car's destination, and it seemed as if she escaped the car before the crash. Her whole presence added an incredibly strange variable to the situation. To add to the whole catastrophe, she had no identification whatsoever and no one could verify who she was. The police were _already_ discussing her welfare and were contemplating putting her into foster care.

Lizzy was miffed. She couldn't believe the gall of the policemen! The poor girl was unconscious and injured, and they were already speaking of sending her away. The thought of sending the girl off to strangers who may not even be suitable care takers pissed her off. She blurted out:

"I'll take care of her! Seriously, I have a good place for her to go in the interim of locating her parents. I have a large apartment at Trump Plaza on Lexington and Third Avenue; I have a guest room that's unoccupied. I'll go with her to the hospital; it's no trouble at all. I'll even take her when she's better to the station for further questioning."

Lizzy was astounded by her sudden Good Samaritan-ness. But she was nonetheless proud of herself for volunteering her services. The girl just looked so adorable; she had to take her in for the meantime. She had room, money to spare, and heaven knows she wanted a sister she actually would love and care for. It was actually selfish in her point-of-view, really. Because instead of the little witch called Lydia, she got someone so much better instead.

Lizzy looked back at her already hectic morning and thought to herself, "I asked Daniel to alert me if something climactic occurred, but it never occurred that something climactic would happen to me!"

She climbed into the ambulance off to the University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell with her new charge, texted Daniel that she'd call him later, and hoped that the girl would wake up soon.

**A/N: Let me know if you like it, if it's worth continuing, please!**


	2. The WriteOff

Chapter Two: The Write-Off

The ambulance ride was as short as a ride could be, as it only lasted about two and a half minutes. To Lizzy, the ride felt more like two and a half hours. She had just watched the paramedics load the poor girl into the ambulance, after witnessing them check her vitals and ensure they didn't need to whip out the AED and administer CPR. The girl's arm was bound to her chest before she was transported into the vehicle to ensure that the injury wouldn't progress any further. She seemed pretty much all right now on the outside, but she still was unconscious.

Lizzy imagined seeing Daniel in the same state and a wave of worry, nausea, and sorrow swept over her. She braced herself and attempted to retain her normal, stoic, yet open persona. It didn't work very well. She just looked pained. Some may even go so far to say that she looked constipated.

The unconscious ethereal being was now being rolled on a bed to the emergency room. The child was hooked up to an electrocardiograph and attached to a saline IV drip by the pediatric surgeon. Her head wound was cleaned and tended to – it wasn't deep, only gory. Her arm was quickly and efficiently splinted and bound in plaster. Her body was on its way to a speedy recovery. Now all that was needed was for her mind to make its presence.

~*~*~*~

While the paramedics dutifully rescued and escorted the patient to recovery, the police were not doing as well at the scene of the crime. This was partially because the officers on the job were not in sync.

Officer Hutchinson was a good fellow. He was a burly man with a small potbelly, he smoked a little too much, he drank a lot too much, but he did a good job. He was very diligent in his work; especially when the lives of young children were involved. He was the proud father of two girls, twins, age ten. His wife wanted him to retire to spend more time with his family, but he was not one to listen to her pleas. He felt justified into making the world a better place for his girls.

So Officer Hutchinson attempted to involve his younger colleague in his investigation. However, when he noticed that his colleague didn't really care, he just doubled his efforts and ignored her. He pulled out one of his favorite pens from a set of three, and began to write out a report. He left spaces so that he could go back and add more detail to the descriptions when he got back to his office.

He was just about finished with the police report and had signed the form, when the demonic black Lexus ignited. A cloud of nicotine and flames surrounded Hutchinson as the police report fell into the hands of the traitor.

~*~*~*~

Two days later, our heroine found herself in the room of the patient, sleeping while watching over her charge. Weary and exhausted, Lizzy had not given up on her. Daniel was staying over at his best friend James' apartment today so Lizzy could give her undivided attention to the pale, yet coloring girl. Wait. Coloring?

Yes! Her cheeks flushed pink! The girl's breaths became more rapid, and her eyelids began to flutter. Her fists began to clench as if she was attempting to retaliate from a struggle. Lizzy, however, was oblivious to it all until she heard:

"No, no, no, NO!"

The young teen was trembling and whimpering and still stammering the same syllable. Her EKG monitor was going ballistic, and Lizzy pressed the button for the nurse.

"NO, you're wrong!" the girl screamed, "He would never! Don't you _dare_ touch me! No, no, no, no…"

"Shh, shh, it's all right, no one is going to harm you, I promise," poured the words of her new protector, "he won't hurt you anymore."

"Wh-wh-what? Wh-h-h-who… a-a-are you?" The girl, now out of the state of a mix of shock and nightmare, trained her baby blues on Lizzy. She blinked once, and twice, as if each time she reopened her eyes, she would remember something about the young brunette before her. Lizzy was an enigma to her, however.

"I'm Lizzy Bennet, and I'm taking care of you… until a family member or your guardian shows up. I live a few avenues and streets away from the hospital bed that you're sitting in. You just survived a horrible car accident."

"I-I… I did?"

"Yes. But you're safe now. You suffered a concussion, broke your arm, and have some minor cuts and bruises. Don't be alarmed, you're doing great!" (Lizzy laughed a tad nervously at that). "You'll be good as new soon!"

The nurse came in, as requested, and rushed to check her now conscious patient's pulse and temperature. When all was well, she requested the girl's name.

"All… all I know is… that my name is Ana… not Anna. I hate… when someone pronounces Ana… like 'Aaa-na' instead… of 'Ah-na'... My…" Ana looked puzzled, then pained, and then fell silent.

"My…?" coaxed Lizzy.

"I… I don't know what…I was going…to say," Ana replied. "My...my head hurts."

The nurse, looking stricken, checked Ana's head, as if it was going to implode any second. She then asked, slowly (as if it was killing her), if the girl had family members.

"My…my parents…a-a-are…dead…but…but…I don't remember…anything…else."

The nurse paled, ran out of the room as if she were burnt, and proceeded to search for the physician. Lizzy asked:

"Are you sure? Nothing else?"

"Uhh…yes…nothing else. I don't…think…that I have any…one else who…who knows me."

"Do you have a last name?"

"No… All I…know is…that…my name is…Ana…not…Anna."

"The doctor and my lawyer both said that until your legal guardian is located, it is lawfully okay for you to come and live with me and my little brother. I mean, only if you would like to and–"

"Ms. Bennet?"

"Yes, doctor?"

"I'd like to speak with my patient, if you don't mind."

"Umm, uhh, certainly, I'll be right outside."

Lizzy quickly slipped out of the room, almost fearful of Ana's answer. It was crazy, absolutely insane. How could a person have so much control over her emotions? Lizzy sighed, and chewed a fingernail. _Perhaps,_ she thought, _it all has to do with Lydia? Or Mom and Dad? Or Grandfather? What the hell is wrong with me?! I hardly _ever _lose control over my emotions. Since the crash, I'm jittery like an addict going through withdrawal._

"Ms. Bennet?"

"Uhh, yes, doctor?"

"Call your lawyer to set up the contract. Another attorney is going to be summoned to represent Ana. Until she recovers her memory or her legal guardian claims her, she, in her own words, 'would like to be your sister very much.'"

The joy Lizzy felt at the moment was almost comparable to the time when the judge granted her custody and she rescued Daniel from her parents' cruel hands. She nodded to the doctor, speechless with a strange sort of contentment, and whipped out her trusty Blackberry yet again. Oh, and she texted Daniel the new news.

~*~*~*~

Meanwhile, a well-moisturized, manicured, and tanned hand made its way into the late Officer Hutchinson's office desk and placed the deceased man's favorite pen upon a police report. One that already was signed and dated, but not submitted, at the scene of the crime.

**A/N: I hope you liked it! Please let me know if you have any ideas, suggestions or if you enjoyed it or not. **


	3. Litotes the Great

Chapter 3: Litotes the Great

Poor, unfortunate, William Darcy was not having the greatest week. And that, dear readers, was some great litotes action in that last sentence. William was having _the_ worst week in history, so far. At least, that's how it felt to him. Firstly, he and his sister had an argument – well, more like a fight, then she ran away, hopped into a car, and now she was gone. Oh, Georgiana! She was his only immediate family left, and all signs of her had vanished. Even that car accident that involved a drunken George Wickham didn't mention her or any surviving minors. It was as if the world or some hidden power was deliberately withholding information about Georgiana from him!

William sat, stony-faced, looking out below on the bustling city street from his penthouse apartment. Without Georgiana occupying the space with him, it was just so… so big. Interminable space, if you will. It was almost as if there was an echo resounding in his living room.

William sighed over the paperwork his private investigator sent him. A copy of the police report from the collision that caused the death of Wickham and that unfortunate couple lay upon his desk. He _swore_ that he saw Georgiana climb into a black Lexus! If only he had read that license plate when he watched her clamber into the car! He stared at the words on the photocopied paper. The word _survivor_ became evident in front of his eyes, but it was false hope. The word was accompanied by the word _no_ and it ended in an _s_. The report did not mention anyone other than the three that died in the crash. His investigator even got him the information from the hospitals of the area, but there was no success. He read the list of teens that were admitted, but nothing seemed familiar to him. He didn't see one single Darcy on the list, and there was nothing remotely similar to Georgiana. There were two Georges, but they were boys. And a Georgia, but she was seventeen. Georgiana was fourteen, and looked younger rather than older than her age. His eyes glistened with unshed tears. He desperately missed his sister. He was beginning to lose hope.

So that was the first part of his week that created the abyss of melancholy within him. The second traumatic incident in his week would happen tonight, Wednesday night. It was Caroline Bingley's birthday, and as he was her brother, Charles', best friend, it was his duty to go. In addition, as the CEO of _DarcyMed_, (his inherited company dedicated to medical technology and research), he needed to be present, as his presence in the public eye strangely helped his business with advertising. There were three things wrong with going to Caroline's party. First, he hated Caroline, because she was vain and superficial and obsessed with him to the point in which she flung herself at him most of the time. Second, he hated parties in general, because he was incredibly shy and uncomfortable in situations that did not involve business. And third, his sister was missing, so he would be miserable anyway, even if he were not at a party or if he were not with Caroline.

Moral of story, Darcy was doomed. He trudged to the bathroom (it wasn't really trudging because his posture was impeccable regardless of circumstances, but to him, he felt like he was dragging his body along the floor). He washed his face in the gilded sink in hopes of clearing up his now tear-stained complexion. He had unconsciously been crying, and he _never _cried. He groaned, and went to locate his black Armani suit and dark burgundy Ferragamo silk tie. He found a cream-colored Ralph Lauren custom-tailored button-down shirt, and black thin socks to go with his black Ferragamo leather shoes. He complemented his ensemble with onyx cufflinks – there. He was dressed for an almost-funeral, because that was what it would be like for him at the Black Widow's –sorry, Caroline's – birthday party. Oddly, he would probably look more like Caroline's personality than Caroline, for she would never be caught dead in black and red.

~*~*~*~

Lizzy was close to the exact opposite of Darcy's mood. She had brought the amnesiac, but darling, Ana to her apartment from the hospital, now that the doctor gave her the 'okay'. Daniel greeted them when they got to the door.

"Hey, Lizzy, you're finally back!"

"Daniel! Did you have fun at James'?" Lizzy squeezed him tightly in a hug.

"Yeah, but I missed you…"

"Aww, I missed you too, but unfortunately I'm going to have to go out tonight to do some publicity for _The Era_ – Jane, Charlotte, and I are going to wear some of my designs to the party for Caroline Bingley."

"You mean the skinny red-head that looks like a walking orange and who is practically the New York version of Paris Hilton?"

"Ha ha, yes, that one. I'm surprised you know so much about her… should I be scared?"

"Nah, it's just that Lydia and her clones, sorry, _friends_ are obsessed with her – I found out at Dad's Friday night when she was blabbing to them on her cell."

"Ahh, I see. Oh! Where did Ana go?"

"I'm…right…here!" Ana already had walked into the living 'room' and was reclining almost regally on the couch.

"Okay Danny-boy, this here is Ana, your new foster-sister until her real guardian is found." Lizzy, Daniel, and Ana were all sitting on the couch cozily. Daniel gave Ana a warm, sincere, smile not unlike his elder sister's. Ana tentatively smiled back, but it was no dimmer than his.

"Hi Ana, I'm Daniel, but, you probably already knew that."

"Hi Daniel, I'm…Ana, but I'm…sure you knew that too!" Ana mocked his playful tone, and then giggled at her sudden burst of what she considered impertinence, which sent Daniel into spontaneous hysterics, which in turn, sent Lizzy laughing.

Lizzy managed to squeak out, "This isn't even that funny!" which led to the three of them laughing even more maniacally on the floor. They were like so for a few minutes until the apartment door was unlocked and in floated Charlotte Lucas and Jane Smith, who were carrying several garment bags, both with bemused expressions upon their faces.

~*~*~*~

Now, Jane Smith's name was an extreme example of litotes. She was not in any way, shape or form as plain as her name labeled her to be. She was the face of _The Era_, and even though she was one of the older models, at 25, she didn't look it. She was a gentle soul, but had a backbone that only those who made her lose her temper saw. As an incredibly long-tempered woman, not many were unfortunate enough to witness her wrath.

The business woman behind _The Era_,Charlotte Lucas, age 28, was the closest representative of Jane's polar opposite. Though as tall as Jane, Charlotte was just as dark as Jane was fair. Jane had medium-length platinum blond waves; Charlotte had a raven-colored, straight-haired pixie-cut. Jane had pale cerulean eyes; Charlotte had deep chocolate orbs. Charlotte had café au lait skin; while Jane's was a faint gold. Charlotte was broad-boned, and Jane was willowy – though both were slim. The most notable difference between the two was their demeanor. Jane was a shy romantic; Charlotte a bold cynic. While Jane played the role of the good girl, Charlotte was the short-fused sinner. Lizzy loved them both equally and served as the happy medium in their relationship.

The formidable trio, with their down-to-earth attitude, successful trade, and their incredible beauty, were becoming very popular in the City. Because of it, they were invited to the birthday party of socialite and dot-com heiress, Caroline Bingley. Not that any of them had met Caroline, but, hey, it was good business.

Charlotte and Jane, after being introduced to Ana, gave Lizzy her garment bag, and the three proceeded to Lizzy's bedroom to dress for the soiree. It was going to be a wonderful night of eating, drinking, showing off Lizzy's latest, and of course, dancing.

Dressed and ready to go, the three gorgeous and dolled-up women set off in a sleek white limousine to the so-called party of the year.

~*~*~*~

Officer Bonnie Younge was proud of herself. She managed to, with her incredible ability to forge handwriting, eliminate all traces of Georgiana Darcy from the infamous police report. She got the media off her case by releasing the story to the press and giving them the photos of the scene that she specifically selected and shot. She managed to not only dispose of the incredibly annoying Officer Hutchinson, but also managed to make William Darcy's life a miserable wreck by separating him from his sister. It was his fault, after all, that her beloved George had a miserable life, and his fault that he died in the crash. She was now, at home, on this Wednesday night, taking a bubble bath and eating her favorite truffles. Hell, she deserved it after losing the one she loved the most to a black Lexus. She took a drag of her cigarette, smirked at its former means of eliminating a co-worker, and shrank down into the scented bubbles. She smiled, and shut her eyes to enjoy her nicotine and her self-created bliss. To Younge, this Wednesday night was litotes in its entirety – it was beyond bliss.

**A/N: I hope you're still with me here! There was the Darcy bit, as promised, and we've met Charlotte and Jane… next chapter, Darcy and Lizzy will finally meet! Please continue to review! I really enjoy reading them!**


	4. The Orange Woman’s Ball

**A/N: I sincerely apologize for not updating in so long! I was in a musical, so I had practically no life for a few weeks! This chapter's much longer than the previous ones, though, if it's any consolation…**

Chapter Four: The Orange Woman's Ball

The annual birthday bash (well of course it's annual, it's a birthday) for Caroline Bingley took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this year. The décor was rather simple and tasteful, which to Lizzy was a real surprise. Caroline was known to have a flair for ostentatious, flashy, and gaudy fashion choices, so the simple ivy and pale yellow ribbons that adorned the columns and the dandelion-colored tablecloths were a real shock. What wasn't a surprise was that Lizzy felt like she was out of place, with the snooty, pretentious, and plastic-y partiers that clustered around each other and gossiped at the top of their voices.

Lizzy was proud of how the dresses she created turned out. She dressed Charlotte in a one-shouldered sheath dress that lost its black opaqueness just above the knee and then faded into gauzy and glittering chiffon until it reached her toes. The dress dipped in the back to reveal her light coffee skin. All in all, Charlotte looked like she was dressed as a Grecian goddess, only her dress was not white, but jet.

Jane, on the other hand, while with the regality of the character that should have worn Charlotte's style of dress, channeled her inner, practically non-existent Marilyn Monroe. Her dress was a pale ballet pink, and was a halter dress that was cut almost exactly like Marilyn's original white, but Jane's was embroidered with tiny white beads around the trim of the bodice and waist.

Both of Lizzy's models – that is, one actual model and one with the appearance of a model – looked gorgeous and were dressed to kill. Lizzy voiced this out loud which caused Jane to wince at the idea that she could even cause someone's death, and Charlotte to smirk at Jane's obvious displeasure of Lizzy's choice of expression.

The three gorgeous women strode into the gallery where the reception was to be held, Lizzy front and center and flanked by her friends. Cameras went off left and right as the trio walked down the yellow 'carpet' and to the party. The lights around them subsided and the sound of a string quartet and a pianist filled the air. Lizzy was instantly accosted by several snooty old women, and five minutes later, she softened their stern expressions and watched them walk away as her new clients.

"I guess your designs were a success so far, Lizzy. I had my doubts, but it's turned out all right just as you set foot into this shindig."

"Charlotte, you and I both know that Lizzy was going to be a success, you might as well not tease her about it."

"Oh, Jane, but that takes all of the fun out of it!"

"No it doesn't, you get paid after she succeeds, and then you can use that _honest_ money to…" Jane swallowed her implication, which only caused Lizzy to laugh and Charlotte to retort with:

"To what? Pursue _dishonest_ pleasures? Oh please, Jane, just because you are practically God doesn't mean that everyone can follow your golden example!"

"You know, both of you, being monogamous is not exactly an angelic pursuit, it was normal the last time I checked, and having sex isn't horrible either, and if animals do it too, it must be natural. It's just preferable that the sex comes _after_ the establishment of a good relationship, and not before. Listen, I need to talk to some potential clients – I'll harass you guys later, and please do not argue until I can come back to mediate – who knows what you'll do if I'm not there to stop it!" Lizzy smiled and gracefully walked away from her friends, who were now chuckling and sampling some hor d'oeuvres that walked by upon the platter of a rather dashing waiter. She met up with some previous acquaintances and let her 'models' to go off and flirt (for Jane, it would be more along the lines of talk) with some random, most likely rich, and relatively attractive men.

~*~*~*~

The three women who waltzed into the room were not just noticed by the older wealthy women. The brother of Caroline herself and his best friend were only some of the many men that were instantly entranced by the three. Charles Bingley was currently mooning on the blonde angel, of whom he was certain he had recognized from somewhere. He was a bit restless in his chair as he watched her stand by her friend while she conversed with some of Caroline's guests. He ordered a Pinot Grigio white wine to sooth his jitters and waited for the right moment to speak to the angel.

Darcy, however, was practically speechless when he saw the long haired brunette in violet. She was much shorter than the two women that trailed behind her, but she had some sort of power to her that was incredibly entrancing.

She was dressed in a deep violet dress that had a slight sweetheart neckline and thick straps that sat upon her flesh at the tips of her shoulders. The straps drew diagonal lines to the curves of her chest. Her waist was accentuated by the cut of the A-line dress, and the bodice met the skirt just under her navel. Silver lace peeked out from underneath the knee-length skirt. The back of her skirt was bustled up in the back so that more of the shimmering silver was visible. The woman's honey brown ringlets trailed down her back and some were pinned up by tiny silver beads. Several soft tendrils framed her heart-shaped face and accentuated her graceful long neck. Darcy had no idea what color her eyes were from so far away, but they were sparkling, and she was smiling, and he desperately wanted to be the recipient of her smiles. God knows he needed a beautiful distraction like her from his constant turmoil. He contented himself by simply staring at his vision of loveliness. Before he could even take another breath, Bingley flew off to meet his latest angel and her new friends, leaving William alone to nurse his merlot and watch _his_ Violet Goddess.

~*~*~*~

A jovial-as-usual Charles and a sulking-as-usual-of-late William approached the designer and her friends as quickly as to not look ridiculously desperate.

"Hello, are you three friends of Caroline's? I was certain I recognized you from somewhere…" started Bingley, "Oh wait, of course Caroline invited you. It's her birthday!" Charles smiled sheepishly, and was rewarded by brilliant smiles by all three, especially the angel.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Charlotte Lucas, this is Elizabeth Bennet, and _this _is Jane Smith. You were right, Caroline did invite us, well mainly Lizzy here, and we are her guests."

"Oh, so you're the Elizabeth who created _The Era_!"

"Yes, and Jane and Charlotte here are the reason it has been so coveted as of late."

"Oh yes, Caroline absolutely adores-"

Miss Caroline Bingley was dressed in the most garish tangerine shade known to humankind. Her strapless dress was styled like Disney's Tinkerbell, and was just as short as the original cartoon version. However, instead of the charming green, it was a putrid orange color and was also covered in carrot-colored crystals. The dress (if it was indeed a dress) was "complemented" by orange beaded Manolo Blahniks that were at least four inches high. She immediately pasted a smile upon her face – it looked remarkably like Lizzy's emotion-repressing face (you remember the pained-really-constipated expression, right?). Lizzy instinctively took a step back from the orange day-glo in a method of self-preservation from the blinding color. And then she spoke, which forced Lizzy to fight her instincts (which in this case, meant screaming bloody murder and running for the hills).

"What do I adore, Charles?"

"You said just yesterday that you really liked _The Era_, didn't you? And that you would kill to get your hands on an original, right?"

"Uhh…" Caroline was embarrassed that her brother was spilling her secrets. She also was embarrassed that she couldn't actually afford an original until she got her trust fund when she turned 28. So she just smiled falsely and simpered:

"Oh yes, I would just love to have a dress designed _just_ for me! I've always wanted to commission a dress, but never got around to it. You know, I was just about to ask my dear friend Vera to do a gown for me, but then, I want to save _her_ dress for my wedding! Oh, Charles, don't be rude! Won't you introduce me?"

Of course, Bingley did the honors, then quickly swept Jane off her feet and asked her to dance as the non-classical-non-cocktail-hour-music began.

~*~*~*~

After Charles danced with Jane four times, he accosted Darcy, in hopes that he would cheer up and be as happy as he was. However, even if William was having a good day, he could never be as jovial as Charles. But, Bingley, being the loyal and devoted friend, decided to attempt to help Darcy gain a fraction of his present state of elation.

"Come on, Darcy, you have _got_ to dance!" Pleaded Charles, but, William wouldn't have it.

"No, Charles, I have no desire to participate in an activity I abhor."

"But seriously, look at all the gorgeous girls! A smiling, pretty face will definitely lighten anyone up!"

"I have no desire to give any woman attention, for the next day I will have yet another new pack of clingy stalkers."

"How about one of my angel's friends? They're both beautiful, though I daresay not as beautiful as Jane! Hey, Lizzy seems your type!"

"Bingley, no matter if she's my type, I'm sure this _Lizzy_ is a total social climber, and though you may consider her pretty, I don't want to lower myself to one of your sister's friends. You know any acquaintance of Caroline's is never attractive enough to tempt me!"

This _Lizzy_, of course, did overhear the conversation, and was not five feet away from the two handsome men when she uttered, "Well I never!" and sashayed away to the ladies room (grabbing Charlotte who was stuffing her face with a piece of chicken teriyaki in the process).

After an awkward silence swept over the men for a good ten seconds,

"I think she heard you, man," was whispered by Charles and a "Damn!" by William Darcy followed right after.

_To think that my Violet Goddess was the Lizzy that I pissed off – oh well, I'll probably never see her again, and she was absolutely gorgeous when furious._

**A/N: So now we're finally taking off! Please review – I would love to hear any suggestions or comments you have!**


	5. Alternate Agendas

**A/N: I am so very sorry! I moved into Uni this week so I really had no time… and before that I had the flu. I hope this makes up for it!**

Chapter Five: Alternate Agendas

Thursday morning greeted Lizzy and her two charges with gloomy gray clouds. Lizzy got back to her apartment at two in the morning, but the Blackberry alarm she forgot to turn off woke her up at 8:30. Growling, she got up out of bed, and went to check on her two young charges.

Strangely, she found Daniel and Ana sitting at the dining room table eating breakfast, already dressed to go out. Lizzy brought a bowl, spoon, and glass to the table to enjoy her Honey Nut Cheerios with her sibling and foster sibling.

"Dressed and ready to go at _this_ hour? Where are you guys off to?"

"Actually, Lizzy, I wanted to show Ana where you work, if that's okay with you and all…" Daniel trailed off, waiting for Lizzy's response. Ana just sat, chewing her cereal very politely with minimum crunching noise, eyes bright with the idea of going to the designer's studio.

"I don't see why not! Hey, it would be very funny for you to drop in and see Charlotte, 'cause she probably has a headache and a half from Caroline's party," Lizzy smirked.

"You mean she has a hangover." Daniel smugly supplied.

"Ugh, you fifteen year olds think you know everything, but you don't! Ana, stop looking at me like I'm wearing a poodle on my head, I'm not that weird in the morning. I mean, my pajamas _are_ on the right way this time!"

"Unlike last week," Daniel added.

"Again, you young folks are not smarter than the likes of me!"

"Yeah right, stop defending your old-age senility 'cause Ana's clearly trying to tell you something."

"Ah, yes, go on girlie,"

"I just wanted…to say that…I'm very, very…happy that…I'm living with…you… It feels like…a…a…"

"Family?" asked Lizzy.

"Yes! A…family."

Ana beamed.

~*~*~*~

The trio decided to forgo walking to the studio/office this morning and took Lizzy's car to the studio on Fifth Avenue. It was bound to rain any second, and Lizzy didn't want to take the chance of Ana getting her bandages wet. It was a smart move – right after Lizzy entered the studio, the sky opened and it began to pour.

"Wow Lizzy! That was a really close call!" called out Jane, who was currently posing for the latest campaign. She was wearing the dress that Lizzy wore to the party the previous night; only it was a size two instead of a size four.

"You bet! Thank goodness Ana wasn't caught in the rain!"

"Lizzy. Seriously girl, keep it down. My head is being crushed by ten elephants every time you open your mouth."

"Sorry Charlotte!" whispered a snickering Lizzy.

"Danny-boy, come over here and give your Aunt Lottie a hug! But don't talk loudly or I'll cry."

"Okay Lottie. Oh, you know Ana, right? She's visiting the studio today. Lizzy said she was going to make me and Ana interns!" Daniel pulled Ana over to greet Charlotte, who was rubbing her temples at the moment. Lizzy grabbed Charlotte a glass of water and two Advils which perked her up a bit. (Placebo effect).

"Howzit goin' Ana? Didja remember anything important yet? Like if you have any siblings or aunts and uncles or anything?"

"I…haven't remembered…anything…important as of…yet. All I know…is that…I'm pretty happy…here and…I think…I was…very…sad…before."

"Well in that case, you should just stop trying to remember and-"

"Charlotte!" Lizzy interrupted.

"-and just stay with Lizzy-"

"Charlotte!"

"-forever. What the hell do you want, Lizzy? Go give Ana a tour already."

"Stop encouraging her Lottie! If her real family shows up she mayn't want to leave!" Lizzy hissed.

"So? You don't want her to leave either – it's written on your face!"

"But…"

"Just enjoy the time you have, and for goodness sake, stop shlumping. You look like a depressed puppy."

~*~*~*~

Lizzy gave the teens a tour of her studio. Starting with Charlotte's section, she led them around to see the publicity, marketing, financial and legal aspects of the fashion industry. She brought them to see the photography area, where Jane was running in and out of the dressing room in different dresses and hair styles every hour and the lights kept flickering at different frequencies. And lastly, she showed them into her office.

Her desk was piled with dozens of sketchbooks, magazines, photos, and fabric swatches. Upon the wall were framed photos of celebrities that wore her designs to special events and pictures of Daniel and Grandfather Gardiner. There was a family portrait that showed her original family of six: her self, Daniel, Grandfather, Mom, Dad, and Lydia.

Ana was overwhelmed. She slowly crept towards Lizzy's desk, sat down in her swivel-chair, and pried open a sketchbook slowly, relishing in Lizzy's work. She sat there quietly and absorbed all of the sketches. Meanwhile, Daniel plopped up onto Lizzy's desk and peered over at her calendar.

"Lizzy, what does this say?" He was pointing to a note that was scrawled upon an up-coming Thursday (next Thursday to be exact, if you must know). Lizzy approached Daniel with confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"On your schedule. It looks like Bingley, but I was certain that you just had the orange witch's party yesterday."

"I have no idea. I never cleared any event on that Thursday. This isn't even in my secretary's handwriting! What in the world – MARY!"

Mary, personal secretary to Lizzy, entered the room. She was a little chubby, and more so shy, but she was a cute girl and had beautiful brown hair that fell in waves around her shoulders. Mary was the most diligent assistant Lizzy had ever had, which further perplexed the designer.

But Mary was already quivering in her knee-high boots, fearing the worst. As usual.

"Yes, Ms. Bennet?" came her meek reply.

"Two things, Mary. One, like I told you, call me Lizzy. Or Elizabeth. Or Captain Two Legs. Anything but Ms. Bennet,"

"Yes, Ms. Ben – oh sorry – Elizabeth." Mary gave a half smile at her employer's enthusiasm.

"Secondly, can you explain this?" Lizzy gestured wildly at the planner on her desk. Mary peered down at it.

"This is not my writing, nor Charlotte's."

"Then how about your primary assignment today is to find the source of this message? If the event is important, I cannot miss it."

"Oh okay then, Elizabeth! I'll get to the bottom of this!" she scampered off, glad that she didn't lose her job. Not that she would have, or anything.

Lizzy sighed, and turned around to find Daniel and Ana smirking.

"Captain…Two Legs?" Ana laughed.

"Yeah, Lizzy, what's with the new name? Can we call you that?"

"No. That was to make Mary feel more…"

"At home?" guffawed Daniel.

"Relaxed..?" chimed Ana.

"Oh, stuff it you two!" Lizzy stalked off.

"We'll be in here, Captain Two Legs, if you need us!"

"Ughhh!" came the only reply from the hallway.

~*~*~*~

Lydia Bennet was having the best day ever. Like, totally. She just ran into her idol and favorite socialite ever, Caroline Bingley. And she even invited her to lunch for tomorrow! So now, she, Caroline, and Caroline's sister, the-not-as-cool-wannabe-Caroline, Louisa Hurst, were going to dine at Nobu and then go to some awesome new spa for mani-pedis.

She would meet the two social-climbers at the restaurant, and order the most expensive salad on the menu, and get some seaweed dish that she didn't know the name of or what exactly it consisted of. But Lydia needed to look worldly or whatever and that would be the method to her madness.

Actually, it wasn't. The method, I mean. Lydia knew that she could use Caroline to her advantage. But she was still in the plotting stage, and wasn't quite ready to get the ball rolling yet. But boy was that girl mad. In more ways than one.

She dialed her old police officer friend and chatted about the latest fashions, among _other_ things.

~*~*~*~

At five p.m., Lizzy was ready to head out and take the teens to eat. She wanted to check out Tenzan, the Japanese restaurant near the Met museum. There was a Pinkberry nearby, so she could take them there for dessert later. She was all ready to go and stuffing her sketchbook into her Degas bag, when Mary called:

"CAPTAIN TWO LEGS! I mean, Elizabeth! I've got your answer!"

"What do you mean, Mary?"

"The schedule-writer has been identified."

"Okay then, spill, girl!"

"It's Jane Smith."

"What do you mean, Jane?"

"Jane is the one who wrote it in the schedule. Her handwriting is atrocious, really. It's like she never took a penmanship class in elementary school and…" she trailed off, embarrassed.

"Listen, Mary, thanks for all your help. Send in Jane to me and then you are free to go home."

Mary brought Jane after five minutes into the office. Jane was still heavily made up from her photo shoot (she had six different outfits, four different hair styles, and three different "faces" today).

"Hiya Lizzy! What's the problem?" breathed Jane, incredibly sunny as usual.

"What is the meaning of this, Jane?"

"Oh, um… that."

"Yes, that. Now, out with it!"

"Charles invited us onto his yacht."

"Charles?"

"Bingley." Jane turned a lovely rose color.

"Okay then. And why exactly am I invited?"

"I needed someone to go with me because I'll be all alone and Charlotte…"

"Yes?"

"Charlotte will most likely embarrass me." Jane turned the color of a tomato.

"Listen, Jane, I can't go with you. I just found out about a new commission in Japan, and I need to get going on my designs and meet with the production company about the commercial that you're going to shoot the day before. I just don't think that it'll be possible."

"Oh. Okay. I'll go alone then. But promise you'll keep your phone on? In case I get lonely?"

"Sure gorgeous. It's always on for you. Just next time, clear everything with Mary. Just 'cause you're one of my best friends doesn't give you leave to drive me nuts and to mess with my schedule."

"Thanks Lizzy! You're the best! I'll see ya tomorrow!" Jane was slightly mollified, and as long as the line of connection wasn't cut while she was there, she felt she'd be okay.

Lizzy was glad that she was going to avoid the Bingleys. Charles, she could handle, but Caroline was another story. She was incredibly thankful she didn't have to see the Orange Witch anytime soon.

Unfortunately, as your honorable and always truthful storyteller, I can safely say that she wasn't thankful for long.

**A/N: Thank you for reading! Please review and let me hear what you have to say!**


	6. Vertigo Extrême

**A/N: There is absolutely no excuse for this late installment, except for the fact that I have now become a full-time college student. I sincerely apologize.**

Chapter Six: Vertigo Extrême

Caroline Bingley dialed her newest _amie_, or _confidante_, the horribly atrocious news. Yesterday (a Thursday) was supposed to be a wonderfully beautiful day, just her, and her dear William, and, okay, Louisa and her husband-that-she-divorced-and-got-back-together-with, and Charles would be there. And that overly sappy model, Jane.

It wasn't a wonderfully beautiful day full of romance with dearest Will…and those others that just happened to be on Charles' yacht. The sappy model got damned seasick! And actually hurled all over her brand new Jimmy Choos.

Whipping out her Clementine-studded-swarovski-crystal Sidekick, she furiously punched the keypad.

"What the fuck, Lydia, seriously. F. M. L." ranted the heiress, currently decked out in a tangerine string bikini decorated with ginger seashells and accessorized with a lime-and-carrot-striped sarong.

"I know, right? Jane always gets in the way. Of everything. She's such a bitch for vomiting all over your shoes. I mean, whenever I throw up, I always make it into the toilet or sink."

"I know! If she wants to be thin, she could at least be discrete about it! Poor William had to witness her…"

Lydia laughed internally. She was so above this incessant chatter. For a moment she pitied poor William and Jane, for they were not her victims. When Caroline gave a final, resounding huff, she ended the call on her cell and reclined in Bonnie's gorgeous leather sofa.

~*~*~*~

"Lizzy? Can you hear me?"

It was Friday morning. At six a.m. It sucked.

Lizzy groggily answered the phone, and bean to panic when she heard Jane's voice.

"Janie? What's wrong?" Jane never called earlier than nine unless it was a real emergency.

"I'm sick." Came the slightly pitiful, yet still honey-sweet tone of the ailing model.

"What!?"

"I'm sick," restated the now puking face of _The Era_.

"Oh shit, Jane. What happened? Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"I want to go home. At first, I thought I was seasick, but it turns out that I've got a fever too, and I'm throwing up… a lot."

"Where are you Janie?"

"At Charles' apartment at..."

"I'm coming over now."

"Wait! It's no real prob-" the phone went dead before Jane could finish her sentence, and Lizzy bustled about, gathering items to cure her best friend and business-bringer.

~*~*~*~

"Danny? Dan? Daniel? Daniels? Danielson?"

"What in the _world_ do you want from me?" bellowed the fifteen-year-old to his older sister.

"We've got a predicament on our plate, Danny-boy,"

"Yeah… and?"

"You're not going to Mom's tonight."

"That's not a problem. _That's_ a blessing."

"No. Jane's gotten sick and she has a very important modeling campaign to finish. If she's sick, she will look awful and not exactly regal in her shots. Also, knowing Jane, she's going to be sick for days, and I hate seeing her suffer and…"

"Okay. I'll stay with Ana. I gotcha."

"Oh…"

Daniel shut the door and grinned. Mom and Lydia couldn't get to him today.

~*~*~*~

Lizzy ran. She didn't even bother to take her limo. Or her BMW. Or her favorite turquoise bike. She ran down the street and turned onto Fifth Avenue, and looked for the gorgeous two-story "apartment" that belonged to the Bingleys.

She stumbled up the stairs into the building, and was just about to ring the doorbell when…

"Ms. Bennet – I mean – Elizabeth!" came the shocked baritone of none other than William Darcy.

"Darcy," responded the object of his attentions (and affections).

He was silent and wide-eyed, and attempting to respond. He merely squeaked, unfortunately.

"I am here to see Jane, Darcy. Can you lead me to her?"

Still unable to speak from a strange mix of melancholy and happiness, he led her into the "apartment" and up the stairs to see to Jane. He immediately internally groaned when he noticed that Caroline's countenance grew even more violently bluish-purple (an incredibly sharp contrast to her costume of the day, which was a striped suit concoction of lemon and pumpkin).

~*~*~*~

"JANE!"

"Shhh, Lizzy, my head hurts," exclaimed a whimpering Jane.

"Oh. Sorry Janie. How are you feeling? I brought you a bag of your clothes, vitamins, medicines, toiletries…" Lizzy stopped whispering after Jane gratefully beamed up at her.

"Thank you for looking out for me. I'm so sorry, I'll probably have to stop modeling for a month you know, the way I get sick…"

"It's all okay, Janie. I'll find another model to have as a companion…maybe I'll edit her into some of the photo campaigns…and then when you're better…that way it will be ready within the time allotted…"

"Lizzy."

"Yes, Janie?"

"You know that I just suffered a cold last week, right?"

"Yeah, and we had to edit your nose 'cause it was red from those crap tissues you used. Why?"

"Well, last night, Charles drove me to the hospital because I had a really high fever and-"

"Oh man, Janie, why didn't you call me earlier?"

"I didn't want to bother you. Anyway, the doctor said-"

"Janie, what did he say!?" Lizzy was now squeezing Jane's hand to the point where Jane winced. Lizzy let go as Jane resumed speaking.

"You know, it'd be much easier if you stopped interrupting me."

"Sorry girlie, go on."

"The doctor says that I've got pneumonia. But I'll be okay really soon, he said, because I'm really healthy and I don't starve myself like the other models do."

"You serious?"

"Totally. Charles said he'd take care of me 'til I get better though, so it's okay."

Jane's tanned cheeks, pale from illness, grew rosy at the mention of Bingley. Lizzy smiled to herself at witnessing the color change, and quickly resumed her concerned demeanor and her tending to Jane, as it was more pressing to tend to Jane's physical health rather than her emotional one.

~*~*~*~

When Lizzy descended the staircase, and turned the corner to find Bingley and thank him for his hospitality, she bumped into the strangest wall she'd ever felt.

Only it wasn't a wall, but an extremely lean and well-muscled William Darcy. As she was about to fall backwards from the impact, she was instantly snatched around her waist by two toned, strong arms and brought back to rest upon the wall – sorry – chest of that same William Darcy. Lost in the spirals of vertigo and his spicy scent, she finally came to her senses and tore herself away from a very reluctant grip.

"So sorry, Elizabeth,"

"No harm done," breathed the object of his affections. Her hair was incredibly disheveled from her run to the apartment and the collision, her eyes were still wide from surprise, and her face and neck were tinged a becoming pink. She was wearing a violet tee-shirt with _The Era's_ crystallizedlogo, Bermuda jean shorts, and silver-and-black sequined Converse. To William, she was the picture of loveliness. His Violet Goddess was with him, and the ache from his beloved sister's loss eased a bit. William sighed, wishing she could have stayed in his arms forever, making his world a more beautiful place.

While Darcy was daydreaming about marrying his Violet Goddess, the occupants of the household, save the infirm Jane, gathered around him in the living room. Caroline stalked in, still ranting on her Sidekick, and abruptly stopped her incessant, piercing chatter when she noticed Lizzy with her desired beau. Charlie meandered in, beaming, which was a result from the presence of the love of his life on the premises. The Hursts, he told Lizzy, were napping upstairs because of their "headaches" from the night before.

All was boring and blasé until the doorbell rang. Caroline sauntered to the door with a face that resembled the cliché cat that just ate the canary.

~*~*~*~

A woman in her mid-fifties entered the room, wearing a hot pink Juicy Couture sweat-suit, accessorized with: a pair of tacky Ed Hardy sneakers, chunky enamel bangles, a large Tiffany chain necklace, overly enormous diamond stud earrings, a yellow leather oversize bag, bleach-blonde hair, copious amounts of eye-liner, and enough face lifts, Botox injections, and collagen implants to make a person look for the nearest exits.

"Lizzy!!!!" shrieked that…woman. And Lizzy cringed.

**A/N: I would adore you ever so much if you reviewed….:)**


	7. The New Black Widow

Chapter Seven: The New Black Widow

"Mom?" came the strangled, startled reply of her stricken daughter.

The shocking-pink-clad woman shrieked:

"Lizzy! What is your excuse this time?"

"What do you mean?"

"Daniel called me and told me that he couldn't visit me today, because you weren't there to take him back and forth, and I thought it was another stupid excuse that he couldn't visit as usual, so then I, like, came over to your place at Trump Towers – why won't you buy me such a place, it's almost as good as a Madison Avenue apartment – and the doorman said that you were at this lovely establishment – you should buy me one of these instead of the Trump one, actually – and so I came over here."

Lizzy kept trying to interject into the monologue, but never seemed to get an edge in the 'dialogue' with her mother. She cringed. Again.

"Mom, Jane is sick, and I can't have to worry about more than one person at a time. I don't like Daniel being out of the apartment unless I'm one hundred percent available for him."

"Whatever, let me see that gorgeous Jane! I wish you ended up like her instead of being short and mousy. Or you should be like Lydia – she at least dyed her hair and she looks so much better with that nose job that she got – you know, your nose is huge, you should really do something about that bump!"

"Okay Mom."

"Where is Jane!? You're deliberately trying to keep her away from me! You know, she's so much prettier than that Kate Bosworth; they should really stop comparing Jane with that girl. Jane just looks healthier and she didn't even need surgery! Though you, Lizzy, really need to do something about your figure. Are you putting on weight?"

"Mom, I clearly told you that Daniel couldn't visit, and the lawyers are aware of this. I'm afraid I'm going to ask you to leave."

"Now Lizzy, just let me see Jane, and then I'll leave. Doesn't that sound reasonable?" Leslie Bennet shrieked in a condescending tone, and showed herself upstairs to fuss over Jane.

~*~*~*~

Caroline Bingley dialed her B.F.F. of the moment while Jane was being unnecessarily fawned over.

"Lyds, why the hell is your, um, mom, like here? She's totally ruining my time with my dear William…No, it's not official yet, but he's been sending me these stares…yeah, a burning stare…mmhmm, I think it means he wants me…but anyway, your mom is driving me crazy, you've gotta get her out of here, and your sister! She's so fucking annoying, like she's like the bitchiest person ever and she takes up dearest William's time….yeah, I know! Oh God, she's _so_ much worse than your mom, she's like living in my space with her model friend like… Okay, yeah, that's so smart! Where would I be without you! Okay, see you later!" Caroline blew air kisses at the phone and hung up. She bared a very malicious grin.

~*~*~*~

"Mrs. Bennet?" cried a weary Charles Bingley for what seemed the millionth time. He was feverishly trying to get the woman to close her mouth because his poor Jane needed her rest. Mrs. Bennet finally stopped her incessant chatter and said overly sweetly.

"Call me Leslie, Mr. Bingley, I'm not with Mr. Bennet anymore."

"Mrs. Ben-uhm-Leslie, would you kindly lower your voice, for Jane is sleeping and she needs her rest."

"Oh, Mr. Bingley! Jane doesn't need her beauty sleep, because she's already beautiful!"

"Yes mom, she is, but Jane needs to-" Lizzy almost finished her sentence, but then the doorbell rang. The occupants of the living room heard simultaneous squeals and chatter after the opening of the door.

~*~*~*~

Lydia Bennet sauntered into the living room, flipped her extended-bottled-blonde hair, pulled off her crystal-lens jet Prada sunglasses, and coolly surveyed the scene. She was garbed in a dangerous red – the kind that reminds someone of new bloodshed. Her lips were filled with the red of her short Donna Karan dress. Lydia wore Christian Louboutin high-heeled cage booties, a matching Louboutin spike-studded oversize bag, Mia and Me thick gunmetal mesh bangles, and its matching gunmetal draping chain link necklace by Paige Novick. To top it all off, Lydia sported two statement rings – a black Stephen Dweck Marquise Carved ring and a Stephen Webster superstud dark silver ring. **(A/N: Lydia's wardrobe was compiled via Neiman Marcus' website.)**

Lizzy was incredibly confused after seeing her sister. The girl was wearing an incredibly expensive and chic, if not a little elaborate, outfit. Where had she acquired the income for such a wardrobe? And the interesting taste that bordered between dark goth and fashionista?

At five foot seven Lydia was taller than Lizzy's mere five foot five, but with her shoes she was Bingley's height of five eleven. She glided over to Lizzy and towered over her. She stared at her for what seemed interminable, and then she said, quietly, menacingly:

"Lizzy." A pregnant pause. "Go home."

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"You heard me. Careful what your next move is, because I will come for you."

"Lyds, I don't understand."

"I think you do. That was a threat, and I've rejected you as my sister."

"What-"

"That was a warning. Leave Caroline's house, and stop irritating mom. You're getting in the way of my," she caught herself, "you have until Jane heals fully to cease contact with the Bingleys." Then, louder,

"Oh Charlie! You should, like, totally, throw a party soon! Caroline's parties are always _so _much fun!" The change in character was creepy, like two different people inhabited the same stylish and plastic-enhanced body. Lizzy blinked twice, as if to affirm that the bi-polar character in front of her was really Lydia.

"That does seem like a good idea, when Jane is better I'll be sure to have Caroline plan another one!"

"Sounds good, Charlie! I'll like, see you guys later. Come on mom, we need to, like, go shopping!"

"Oh Lydia, you always know how to ease my nerves!"

~*~*~*~

Lizzy could not believe what came out of her sister's mouth. Since when did Lydia speak without using the word like at least once? She knew Lydia was strange, but since when did strange mean incredibly scary? She feared for the future, for her brother, for Ana. Especially Ana, because if Lydia found out about her…Lizzy shivered.

~*~*~*~

Darcy felt for Lizzy. He wanted to feel her too, but that was another matter. He heard all Lydia said, including the threat. He silently vowed that he would protect Lizzy because he lo-liked...her a lot. Lydia, he thought, took away the Black Widow title from Caroline – she not only sounded incredibly evil, she dressed it too. Caroline was going to have to be christened another alias. Hmm…Mandarin Fireball sounded good to him. Yeah. Especially when she got really mad at Bingley.

William sighed, again. It seemed to him like all he did was to sigh and mope about everything. He felt a small weight on his arm, and startled, he looked up. He saw the love of his life – wait what? – smiling up at him, asking him something.

"Sorry, what did you say?" he asked.

"I was just asking if you were okay, you looked completely tortured."

"Oh, well, I've got a lot on my mind lately."

"Okay, if you need anything, I don't mind listening." Lizzy couldn't believe she just offered the man who insulted her help, but it seemed right?

"I'll be fine." He wanted to tell her, but how could he? She would think the worst of him!

"Oh. Okay then. I'm going to go help Charles out in the kitchen," she smirked, "it sounds like he needs some help." She needed to leave the room, pronto, before she further acted upon her desire to comfort the somber man.

He didn't respond, unfortunately for him, because he could have kept her with him for longer. Fortunately for her; she was confused as hell. Lizzy left the room with a puzzled expression on her face, while William watched the love of his life – yes, it felt right to say so – leave him. He smiled a small smile, an incredible feat at this point in his life. She cared. So he would care for her.

**A/N: Please review! It would make my day, and me smile…**


	8. Good Night, or Rather, Good Morning

Chapter Eight: Good Night, or Rather, Good Morning

_She had gotten into that black limo car – mind you, not the stretch limousine kind – tossed her dark gold hair, and didn't look back. The car swerved away, and the license plate was too far away for him to see. He tried to get to her, but his tears clouded his eyes. He rushed in through the door to dial the cops, but…but…he collapsed on the floor. He watched the phone drop onto the tile next to him, only a few inches out of reach. He was an inch away, but the pain in his side told him to hold back. He tried sliding towards the phone, about to dial, when…darkness. _

Darcy woke up with a start, face sweaty, eyes tearing up. Georgiana! Where was she? Was she alive? Why did she leave? Well, he already knew _that_ answer. His head spinning, he fell back upon his pillows and drifted into another nightmare…

"_I'm not a child anymore, Wills! It's not like I'm ten. I'm fifteen and you can't just tell me what to do. You're not even my dad. I'm going to see my friends, and there's nothing you can do about it!"_

"_Yes I can. I'm you're legal guardian, Georgiana. You have to listen to me. It's my rules or you go and live with Aunt Catherine."_

"_No! I'm going to Jenny's house instead! She has _parents_ who actually like me! I'll stay there; they said I'm always welcome!"_

"_Georgie, you know that won't happen!" he was losing his patience. "Besides, I have to give you permission before you go live with someone else."_

"_You know what!? You are so insensitive!"_

"_No I'm not! I'm just being responsible!"_

"_You can't just control my life!" with that, Georgiana ran, grabbed her bag (already packed), and slammed the door of her house and after, William reflected, frowning at the oddity, the passenger door of the Lexus._

"I never got to tell her I loved her, and I never got to say goodbye!" William Darcy woke again, a broken sobbing mess.

~*~*~*~

Bonnie Younge was chain smoking tonight, as she couldn't sleep. She had way too much on her mind. The destruction of William Darcy was at the forefront, and the manipulation of Lydia Bennet was another. She got away with staging Georgiana's disappearance "death," but she had to find the actual girl and eliminate her before someone else found out who she was. If she could hold Georgiana for ransom, which could be pretty nice too…, then she could get a fabulously wonderful sum to add to the tons she already extracted from the Darcy Empire. But first, she had to get to Lydia, get her onto the evil seed she was growing. Lydia would be the best pawn she ever had, better than her love, George. Because Lydia did not have remorse, and Lydia had insiders like Caroline Bingley eating out of her hand.

~*~*~*~

Lizzy was having a sleepless night as well. She was forced to stay at Bingley's because Jane looked like she was faring worse, and by the time she seemed okay it was 2 am and unsafe to drive home. Her insomnia was more motivated by confusion and thought than by nightmare and sorrow. She kept thinking about Lydia, and what she implied. Why would Lydia be threatening her? What was her motive? Did she have a motive? She sighed, heavily. She rolled over. How did that girl get those clothes? Friendship with Caroline Bingley wouldn't cut it; she stated at that party that she was saving a custom Vera for her wedding – that means that Charles is "trying" to curb her spending. She smirked at Charles' failure. Even so, Caroline isn't that selfless – and doesn't have the style. Lydia must have a new source of income, but what? It couldn't be drugs, because Lydia is too obsessed with her body to do such a thing. And since when did Lydia use big words? Ack! This was getting way too confusing for Lizzy's liking. She got out of bed and began to walk down the hall to the bookshelves in the Bingley's living room.

~*~*~*~

William punched his pillow, one, two, five times. He groaned, and got himself out of bed, clutching his head. He felt like he was hung over and like he was beaten up by a whole slew of gang members, even though he was stone cold sober and he hadn't gotten into a physical fight since his teenage years. Defeated, he trudged to the bathroom, and collapsed on the floor.

The resounding bang caught Lizzy off-guard, and the moans of pain alerted her that she was not in danger, but that someone indeed needed her help. She didn't think the person collapsed upon the bathroom floor would be William Darcy, however. She eased open the bathroom door carefully and quietly, to survey the damage. She gasped.

He was sprawled, spread-eagled, on the tile floor. Lizzy's eyes traced his muscular yet lean figure and rested upon the man's face. He had a straight, almost noble nose, beautifully sculpted cheeks, and a full-lipped-yet-masculine mouth. He wasn't bleeding where he hit his head, thank goodness, and his dark curls framed his head like a dark halo of an angel. The pale and injured man looked bruised, weak, helpless yet strong, ethereal yet earthly. He drew her to him with his eyes, pleading for help yet not wanting to be helped. Lizzy went to help him – he seemed absolutely…wait. Déjà vu?! She shrugged it off, and went to aid her new patient.

"William, can you hear me? You okay?"

"You called me William…" he smiled, dizzily.

"William, stay with me, are you all right?"

"Better, now you're here…"

"Darcy, tell me! What hurts?"

"My heart hurts. You stopped calling me William."

"Darcy, I will leave you if you don't stop fooling around. I'm trying to help you!"

"Can you help me stand?" he sounded defeated and injured.

"You sure?"

"Of course I am!"

"Okay…" Lizzy grabbed him by his upper arms to help him up. He groaned again, slipped a little, which forced Lizzy to put his arm around her shoulders and her arm around his waist. He stiffened for a moment, but then relaxed under her gentle touch. In a reverie, he reflected on what it would be like for them to be like this, in this pose in future moment, only with him less injured and her less exhausted. His love's gentle voice interrupted his dreamlike state, and he slowly became more lucid.

"You okay now? Let's walk you back to your room, unless…" she gestured to the toilet. He shook his head as vehemently as a dizzy person could. Lizzy grabbed a washcloth, turned the warm water faucet in the sink on, and soaked the cloth with the warm water. She gently patted Will's face and neck with the heated cloth and he sighed contentedly. Subconsciously, it didn't seem strange or creepy to her. Slowly and carefully, she helped him back into his bed and brought him a cup of tea and ice packs for the welt on his head and back. He didn't have a concussion, _thank God I've had enough to deal with this month_, she thought to herself.

After settled, Will asked:

"Do you have siblings? Other than Lydia, I mean."

"Yeah, well Lydia doesn't count anyway, but I have a brother named Daniel."

"How old?"

"Fifteen."

"Just as old as…"

"Who? Your sibling?"

"Yeah. Georgie." He stopped talking, not wanting to continue. Lizzy looked at him expectedly, but he didn't elaborate. Instead, he asked, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"It's what you do. If someone is hurt, you help them. It's not like I'm just randomly bestowing acts of kindness or anything."

"Oh."

"Why did you fall?"

"I had a lot to think about."

"I'm assuming bad?" He nodded. "Well, do you want to talk about it?" He shook his head in the negative.

"Okay. So your sister, Georgie, what's she like?"

"Uh, well, she plays piano really well. She was going to go to Juilliard for music next year, early."

"Was? What do you mean?"

"I don't want to talk about it." _I'd rather just look at you. _His relaxed face tensed up into the inscrutable mask that was the face of Mr. Darcy of _DarcyMed_, rather than William, Charles Bingley's best friend.

"Okay, well, I'm always here if you need me..." Awkward silence permeated the air. "Well, I'm off to bed. Good night, or rather, good morning." Lizzy walked off before Darcy could respond.

He whispered, reverently, silently, to the empty, dark room, "Good morning, love."

**A/N: Please, please, review so I can make it the best I possibly can and so I can have something to look forward to read!**


	9. All His Colors Fade to Black

Chapter Nine: All His Colors Fade to Black

After being rescued by the love of his life, Will Darcy actually slept happily. His heart was full.

_The room was immersed in warm tones of rose and ember, and the flames of color illuminated the room like the glow from a fire, but the flickering was less frequent and not emanating from the hearth. The glow became more concentrated and the large and spacey room's walls grew lighter and glistened with gold when _she_ walked in. She was dressed in a violet nightgown, and her emerald eyes glittered, but sparkled when she saw him. Her face alit further when she approached him, and he realized she was holding something behind her. She handed him a shimmering ruby-toned package, and she bent forward to whisper in his ear. He was instantly immersed in the fragrances of citrus and lavender, and was just about to open the ruby box…_

_ "Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth, what is this?" _

_ "This is-"_

~*~*~*~

"- your wake up call, Darcy!" came Charles' voice from behind the door, accompanied by decently heavy banging. Quoting a famed public service announcement, "It's 11 a.m.! 'Do you know where your children are?'"

William got out of bed and opened the door. His light mood was shattered. "NO. I don't know where she is." He shut the door, but didn't slam it, because he still cared for his friend and it _was_ his best friend's home that he was occupying. He sunk down behind it, and prayed that his Violet Goddess would come to him and soothe his fears, perhaps alleviate his pain with that ruby gift from his dream. Then he'd be complete, if Georgie was added to the equation.

"Georgie, where are you?" he sighed, _again._ He felt like Harry Potter with all his angst. Someone knocked upon the door - it was incessant, like Bingley's, and not at all gentle.

"Daaaaaarcieeeeee!!!!!!" And now the horrible, ear-wrenching screech of the woman who somehow was related to Bingley sounded. "I need your opinion on my outfit!! I made a picnic for us today, so you can tell me all about how wonderful we are together and how sexy I am!" William started gagging. After a few moments, she was gone, and a tentative, yet gentle knock, completely unlike the others was coming from the joint bathroom-to-bedroom barrier.

"Yes?"

"It's Lizzy. Can I come in?"

"Yeah." The weight lifted a little. She slowly inched her way into the room which was only illuminated by the light that trickled in from between the slats of the window shades. Lizzy frowned and slowly let the shades up to let the light in.

"I…I just wanted to see how you were doing. Charlie's also going crazy because you didn't come out of your room. He's now resorted to a weird leg-jiggling thing in front of the T.V. 'cause he just can't sit still. I swear; he must have attention deficit!"

"Yeah he does that when he's upset or confused. I think he's both."

"Well, he seems to be full of remorse today."

"I forgave him already."

"When? When you realized he doesn't want you to tell him how sexy he is?" she smirked.

"Actually, yes." He shuddered, and Lizzy laughed.

"Hey, you have a sense of humor after all!" she grinned, teasingly.

He made a half smile, but didn't respond. Seriously, he asked,

"How is Jane?"

"She's fine enough, for a congested model with pneumonia. I'm publishing the latest _Era_ campaign, though, in a few weeks, so I'm going to have to find another model because no amount of makeup or styling can make her look healthy at the moment."

"You don't air-brush your models?"

"No, I don't believe in that stuff, I do get rid of crap like pimples, but I'm not going to change the way a person's face looks. But the reason for the search for another model is 'cause Jane lost way too much weight when she was seriously ill, she won't wear the clothes well." William gave a nod, showing that he was interested. Lizzy interpreted it as dismissive, and was about to say something angry and rash, but, after a pause, he replied.

"What about your tall friend who's bl-…has dark hair? At the party?"

"You remember Charlotte? Wow, I thought you just had a stick up your…" William smirked rather than looked offended, so she continued, "Oh, um, well, Charlotte hates modeling and will never do it, no matter how much I plead. I thought it would be perfect with Jane's gold complexion and Charlotte's caramel one, but… I'm rambling. You don't really care."

"Of course I care; I could listen to you all day." He cleared his throat, "you do tend to ramble though."

A semi-awkward slash comfortable silence. Both Lizzy and William turned slightly rosy. Lizzy cleared her throat.

"Uhm, well, since I need to find a new model, I'm leaving this afternoon."

"So soon?" William suddenly felt depressed.

"Yeah…I need to take care of my siblings too…"

"You take care of Lydia?" he blurted.

"Ah, no…I take care of Daniel and Ana."

"Ana?" Somehow that name rang a bell, but he just couldn't place it. His brow furrowed in his concentration.

"Yeah, Ana. Oh!"

"Pardon?"

"She could be my model! Thank you William; that is a brilliant idea!" She hugged him – well, more like squeezed him – and scampered out, calling, "Bye William! See ya soon!"

"What just happened?" He sighed, remembering the warmth he felt from her touch. "I guess it is goodbye again." _Sigh._ "Well, at least she was real this time."

~*~*~*~

"Jane?"

"Yes, Charles?" She beamed, seeing the golden halo-surrounded face of her latest amour. You see, Jane fell in love quickly, so quickly that not only did it freak out Lizzy, but it made the constant love-cynic that went by the name of Charlotte, want to go home and hide in her flat until Jane fell out of love with her beau. Charlotte had attempted it once actually, and found that it was perfectly feasible. Jane's most recent beau lasted for two weeks, which was pretty long, considering the previous one in which Charlotte remained in her apartment for the duration of four days. Jane could never stay interested in a man for an extended period of time, and felt guilty for keeping a boyfriend for too long if she didn't see the relationship going anywhere. But Charlie (what she called him in her head) was different. She could tell.

"Jane, now that you're better, well, I know you're not really better but you're healthier than before, would you like to…"

"To do what?"

"Maybe you'd want to go on…a date…with me?" Jane inwardly jumped up and down with glee, but on the outside, she merely smiled warmly and said,

"I'd love to." She coughed, well, more like wheezed, "What shall we do?"

"Well, since you're still sort of sick, how about we have an indoor picnic? I mean, Caroline wanted to have one for everyone, but because Lizzy's leaving and Darcy's no fun, there is no point for her sort of company anyway, so, I figure it'd be a fun date and you wouldn't catch cold or anything..."

"Charles." Jane put her cold, frail, hand upon his.

"Yes, Jane?" Her name came out more as a squeak than an actual syllable. Jane giggled.

"I'd love to." She smiled sweetly, and Charles beamed. If you were there to see his face, my esteemed reader, you would most definitely liken Charles Bingley to a very happy puppy with a frantically wagging tail.

~*~*~*~

Caroline Bingley put on her favorite orange-blossom toning facemask in front of her vanity mirror. After all, orange blossoms actually _do_ work wonders on pores! This imported edition of facemask came in a garish, sorry, lovely, mix of neon and burnt orange and was liberally applied all over Caroline's visage and neck. Under her sheer bronze robe were: a very skimpy, triangle-cut bra, and a piece of Clementine-toned floss that may be classified as a g-string. Now that that witch named Lizzy was gone, Caroline thought, she could easily plan the seduction of Darcy. She was splashing water on her face to wash off the toning mask, when she heard the object of her soon-to-be seduction yelling on the phone. Without thought, she rushed herself in her Cheeto-colored stilettos out into the hallway and following the loud rumble of noise.

~*~*~*~

"Bingley!" bellowed his best friend, "BINGLEY!!!"

"Yes?" Bingley was panting – he had rushed from his darling's bedside to attend to his friend.

"I just got off the phone with Richard, what is this business with me attending yet another one of your parties? You know I CANNOT socialize, especially NOW!" William was incredibly red-faced, and his face quickly turned ghostly when…

"DARRCIIIIIIIIEEEEE!!! Is everything all right???" The creature demanded. Its face was dripping orange goop; it looked like a pumpkin version of Nickelodeon's neon green slime, but thicker, and crusty in some places. But the face wasn't what made William turn ashen. It was the Mandarin Fireball's attire that made him feel like he was going to go through all nine lives of a cat.

William felt woozy. He heard the calls of Charles, the reprimands given to Caroline, the now present Jane's, "Oh my!" The walls spun around and he couldn't determine the difference between the ceiling and the floor. The colors began to mix with each other, the tan wooden floor, the azure papered walls, the ruby box, his purple goddess, the orange Caroline, all became a swirling mass until William faded into a void of black.

~*~*~*~

"It never occurred to me that Darcy would faint from my beauty!" screeched the Mandarin Fireball, while her brother and his angel lifted the tall and broad frame of her victim to his bed. Jane insisted that William be taken to the hospital, as she was convinced that he suffered a concussion much like Lizzy's foster sibling did.

William did not regain consciousness until he made it to the hospital. Then he swiftly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**A/N: New computer, new chapter, new apologies, dare I ask for (as usual), more reviews? By the way, orange blossom toner actually does work, and it smells pretty good!**


	10. Movies, Memories, andMocha?

**I am a very evil person. I have plotted this story; I just never can get around to it with all my university demands, jobs, and traumatic family problems. However, I'd still like a review? Please?**

Chapter Ten: Movies, Memories and…Mocha?

She took the elevator up to the thirteenth floor and was about to unlock the door when it was slowly and creepily opened. It seemed as if the living room was entirely vacated, she saw no one. There was no sound, other than her footsteps. She peered beyond the doorframe, and screamed.

"LIZZY!" laughed her sibling and foster-sibling, "how was your stay at Chez Bingles?" continued Daniel.

"You guys just scared me senseless and you pretend it never happened. Strangely, I appreciate that."

"You avoided… the question!" giggled Ana, "you must answer it…under penalty of death!"

"Great, now you have the same cracked-out sense of humor that the 15-going-on-10 year old boy has. I knew he wasn't to be trusted!" Lizzy grabbed Daniel, squeezed him tightly, and ruffled his hair.

"So, spill. What happened at Chez Bingley? Did creepy Caroline pass out from only eating Beta-Carotene-infused food items?"

"Daniel Bennet, I suggest you shut that orifice you call your mouth before I stuff it!"

"With what? Surely tissues are the worst you could do!"

"Hon, you'd be surprised with how effective tissues could be!" Lizzy lunged at him, knocking the large box of tissues to the ground, successfully pinning Daniel on the floor. Lizzy, grinning, said, "Pinned ya!"

"What," Daniel laughed, "now we're quoting Lion King?" Lizzy managed to roll off of Daniel, leaving him convulsing in laughter on the floor. Lizzy stalked away, still ridden with laughter, to her room to unpack her things. Lizzy, while shutting the door to her room, bellowed,

"Ana, do something about that nuisance in the hallway!" Ana felt faint. She bolted to her room. Daniel, still in the process of removing himself from the carpeting, saw her face and scrambled after her, sure not to make a sound as to alert Lizzy of Ana's distress.

*~*~*

_"William! Do something about that nuisance in the hallway!" bellowed her Aunt. "We cannot have new money in our house, do you understand!"_

_ "Your rhetorical statements are so refreshing," muttered William under his breath. He did not notice young Georgiana hiding in the rather spacious coat closet. It was cracked open so she could see the tizzy her aunt was working herself up into – it was rather frightening, as her aunt was turning a putrid shade of blue._

_ "Honestly William, did you think before you befriended that Bangles boy! With that sister of his! That frightening, insipid, orange, whore! I am most seriously displeased, William, you should have had more sense! That Bangles boy! He grins like a puppy! He doesn't even have a summer estate, and he is Irish. Irish! I ought to spank you with a wooden spoon, boy!"_

_ "Aunt Catherine," he took a deep breath, "firstly, his name is Charles Bingley, he is a loyal and kind friend who is helping me cope with my father's death, he is purchasing a summer home anyway, it doesn't matter that he is, as you say, new money, considering this is the twenty-first century (nor would that change my mind about our friendship). In addition, to the fact that he is Irish, I don't exactly understand your contention that an Irishman is not proper material for a friend. I have other Irish friends! Bingley isn't even a hundred percent Irish! And can you elaborate upon your wooden spoon idea; it implies some rather strange ideas, frankly. Tell me, do you only spank those above the age of eighteen? If not, I may just have to turn you in to the police. And regardless, that is still tortuous behavior. I could sue - "_

_ "Don't get impertinent with me, FITZwilliam! You should know better by now to sass me! I am your Aunt; you WILL do as I say!"_

_ "I'm sorry Aunt Catherine, it won't happen as you desire. I'm sorry, but I'm going to request that you leave. Goodbye."_

_ The guards came for Catherine de Bourgh, wealthy socialite and snob extraordinaire. Catherine bellowed at the top of her lungs; she did not leave the premises without a loud and significant exit not unlike herself._

~*~*~*~

She snapped out of her reverie, gasping for breath. A _daylight_ nightmare.

"Ana?" came the voice of her new brother, "you okay?" He sat down upon the bed next to her.

"Daniel?"

"Yes?"

"I remember."

"Oh shit. Does that mean you have to go home?"

"I DON'T want to!" this came out of her mouth rather strangled and forceful, and the intensity of her voice shocked the two of them. Ana put her hands immediately to her mouth and blushed.

"You don't have to, well at least I won't force you… I mean, legally, now that you have regained your, uhm, memories, you need to go back to your appropriate guardian…"

"But my brother doesn't understand me like you and Lizzy do!"

"Well…"

"Well what Daniel? I don't want to go home, and Lizzy definitely doesn't want me to go home. Solution: you and I pretend like we don't remember. This does not come out of this room. I can't face Will, I just can't! After what I've said to him, and after I…"

"You what?"

"I actually haven't remembered yet."

"You are definitely lying. Your eyebrows always twitch oddly if you lie."

"Oh I know. But I'm not ready to tell at the moment."

"Tell me after dinner?"

"Maybe."

~*~*~*~

"I'd like a mocha latte with skim milk, please." Lizzy sighed and swept stray wisps of curls out of her face with her free hand. Her other was holding her wallet and a pencil she hadn't put away yet, as she was busy with her notes regarding the next photo shoot…and of course, sketching in the margins.

"I'd like the same, thanks." She turned, and again she was enveloped in that familiar spicy scent. "My treat." The man smiled. Lizzy internally cursed; his smile was disarming.

"William! Fancy seeing you here!"

"Yes, and you apparently like lattes too."

"Only those of the mocha persuasion, I'm afraid."

"Do you drink any other coffee?"

"Actually, no. Only those really sugary coffee iced things, but I get way too hyper from those." She laughed. He smiled, _again_. A rarity.

She didn't realize that by the time her drink was ready that William had paid for her cup too. She immediately protested, digging through her wallet for the bills she specifically kept for her coffee run. He protested.

"Didn't you hear me say, my treat? You officially can't pay me back for the latte."

"Unfair!"

"Maybe to me, but to you? I think not."

She fell silent.

"Wow. Cat got your tongue?"

"Resorting to clichés, much?"

"Guess it didn't then." A silence. Lizzy nodded towards the door, and they walked towards Lizzy's apartment.

"Wait."

"Wait what, Elizabeth?" Lizzy looked at him, in shock for a moment by the way he said her name. As the omnipresent author, I can definitely say that our dear William was a little dazed, as his eyes were a little clouded over. Lizzy did not realize this, however, despite her impeccable observational skills.

"Why are you walking this way?"

"Oh, well, I was going to go for a walk in the park, would you like to join me?"

"I actually just came from there, I need to go home and make sure my siblings haven't torn up the apartment!" She smirked.

"You don't have time?"

"Yeah, I need to find a replacement model for Jane – she is definitely not up to modeling this week, and I need someone fast. On top of that, I need to make some calls about the fabric shipments and fax my latest sketches, and then go over the photo shoot layouts that need to be set up starting tomorrow."

"Wow. I guess I'm not offended then."

"Well…" she laughed, "I've decided not to continue that sentence."

"Hmmph. I'm don't think I deserved that one."

"Again, I plead the fifth!"

"Okay, Miss. Artsy-Smart-Mouth, I think this is where I bid you adieu before you incriminate yourself."

"Oh, will you bow next?"

"Maybe some other time. However, I'd like to know if..."

"Yes?"

"You'd like to go to dinner sometime?"

"As friends?"

"Uh, sure…as friends?" he was definitely not happy about this one. Low blow, Lizzy.

Bennet: 1, Darcy: 0.


	11. Plots, Grins, and French Rap

Chapter 11: Plots, Grins, and French Rap

"So. Ana-babe. What would you say to a job as a part-time model?"

"You're…serious? That would…be awesome!" Ana gushed to Lizzy, now with an artful air to her speech patterns. She remembered everything, while venting to Daniel – during which, Lizzy was out with Charlotte, dining at _Rare_ on Lexington Avenue.

"Yeah? You down?" said Lizzy, rather jovially; happy she booked her model so easily.

"Baby, are you down, down, down, down, down?" bellowed the final member of the household, singing Jay Sean's lyrics just so.

"I'm only down for…Lizzy's offer, not whatever…you're referring…to. I'd… love to model!"

"Great. Cool Ana. I'm so glad you're on board _The Era_!"

"Lizzy. When does Ana start and end work? 'Cause didn't you say that she would go to school with me?"

"Well, yeah, so when school starts up again for you in September, she'll join you. No biggie."

"I'm so…thrilled!" breathed Ana, elated. "I'm going to go…get some beauty rest. I can't wait!"

"Good idea, girlie. Danny-boy, it may be wise to emulate Ana's exemplary behavior. Hop to it!" The two teens took her words literally, and for fun, hopped to the bathroom to ready for bed. Before he fell asleep, Daniel wondered what Lizzy would think about Ana's hidden, less-than-exemplary behavior, and his not-so-pristine contribution to her plan.

Speaking of plotting, Bonnie Younge opened her flat's door to see the impeccably coiffed Lydia. Lydia was garbed in a charcoal mini-dress; belted by a thick, yellow chain, and with a boatnecked neckline that had one vertical cut down the chest. The slit was only noticeable because it was stitched in yellow. Lydia accessorized with a studded yellow Balenciaga bag and L.A.M.B. booties (peep toe, fringed in a scale-like fashion) in the exact same shade. She wore the same gunmetal studded rings and bracelets and if Lizzy were with her, she would have thought them familiar.

"Lydia, darling, any news?"

"Maybe. What does Georgiana Darcy look like?"

"Come inside. We have much to discuss." If you were to hear what I heard, reader, you would have heard a door slam, at least five different locking sounds, all accompanied by feverish whispering. Be alarmed.

Lizzy punched the extension and waited only a short moment before Mary picked up.

"Hi Mary, our temporary model will be arriving with my brother within the half hour, could you please make sure she makes it into my office with both you and Charlotte when she arrives?"

"Sure thing, Captain." Five minutes later, Ana, Daniel, and Charlotte were brought to Lizzy's office, Charlotte bearing legal documents, and the teenagers bearing grins.

"She still calls her Captain!" Daniel whispered, laughingly to Ana.

"I heard that!"

"She's still touchy about it too!" giggled Ana in reply.

"I'm convinced Mary is destined to become a comedian," deadpanned Charlotte, causing both teens to laugh uncontrollably, with mirth.

"Honestly. We have things. To do."

"Aye aye, Captain!" replied Charlotte, again, and no surprise – put the entire room, even staid Mary, into gales of laughter.

Contracts signed, as Lizzy being Ana's legal guardian, Ana was escorted to the photo studio and taught the basics. At 4:30pm, Lizzy announced that she was ready to leave and took Ana and Daniel home. Her cell phone rang – more like rapped in French, and she answered:

"Hello?"

"Lizzy, don't you ever check caller ID?"

"Oh, hey Jane, what's good? Are you feeling well?"

"I am feeling much better, but I don't think I'm fully healed…I mean, I keep coughing and I definitely have lost the 'look' that you wanted. But, like, I am doing better and I should be strong enough to leave my apartment in a few weeks. Pneumonia really does things to your body, it's just so gross Lizzy!"

"Well I'm glad you've got your chatterbox back, Janie!"

"Me too, honestly, 'cause Charlie – "

"Charlie?"

"Dear, you never let me finish a sentence that involves Charlie, do you? Anyway, Charlie – "

"Charlie!"

"Okay, now you're just being cute. He and I are legit boyfriend/girlfriend…we're official!" Jane squealed into the phone, so loudly, Lizzy actually cringed and had to hold the phone a good foot away from her ear.

"Jane, I'm so happy for you!"

"Oh, I am sooo happy," Jane gushed, "Charlie – "

"Charlie?"

"- Visits every day or every other day, and brings me dinner - "

"Wait, he brings you dinner every day?"

"Around that, it's so sweet, and then we watch some cute old movie. It's really adorable, he's so nice to me, what did I do to deserve him?"

"Oh Jane, you are a wonderful person who deserves the best! It's only right that he treats you so well."

"Like I said, Lizzy, you are a dear and you deserve someone like him too."

"Thanks hun, but I think that if I were as nice as you – well, I don't think I could!" she laughed, "but if I ever end up that sweet, I'm sure I will have your luck!" They both laughed, Jane a little more forced than Lizzy, but enough laughter to make her wheeze intensely and choke out, "Lizzy, I think I should go. Have a lovely evening; I'll call you later! " Jane hung up before Lizzy could properly say good-bye.

Lizzy was feeling rather lethargic and drained for no reason, but decided to rest for a bit before making dinner for her siblings. She got into bed straight after her conversation with Jane, and woke up to her phone rapping in French, again. Groggily, she pressed send on her BlackBerry, and let out a groggy, "Hello?"

"Lizzy?"

"Yes? Who is this?"

"It's William. Don't you check your caller ID?"

"Firstly, this is William, as in Darcy?"

"Yes."

"Secondly, you're the second person to ask me that today. Apparently I'm not as phone savvy as the rest of the world."

"Who was the first?"

"Jane."

"Jane?"

"Yeah, she's got some added spunk now that she's dating Charlie."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

William was silent. So Lizzy carried on the conversation, "So. What did you call me for? Wait. That sounds rather obnoxious…"

"Don't worry. I knew it wasn't intended that way." William replied, softly.

"Good." Silence on William's end again. "So…"

"Oh yeah," William rushed, "I wanted to know if you wanted to go out to eat tonight. I mean, it's only six now, so…"

"Hold on. Let me see what the sibs are up to." Lizzy put the phone down, and began walking towards Daniel's room. Finding out that he and Ana actually already ran to _Pr__ê__t à Manger _to grab sandwiches, drinks, and dessert, and were now camping out under a blanket-fort contraption in the living room. During this process, she tripped over a chair that was moved to anchor the fort – succeeding in bruising her shin pretty badly.

"Okay," Lizzy breathed heavily into the phone, "I'm free. The sibs are fed, and," she winced (out of physical, not emotional pain), "I am free to go out. I can be ready in fifteen minutes." William was confused as to why Lizzy winced, but didn't say anything, because he was too elated with her choice to go out with him.

"Great, I will pick you up at 6:30."

"What shall I wear?"

"I'm wearing what I wore to work, so business casual? Ish?"

"Okay, I'll go for the 'ish.'" She giggled, and hung up the phone. Unconsciously, Lizzy grinned. And if she could have seen William's face, she would have seen his face mirror hers.

**So, the date is next. I'm going to post more regularly, now that finals are over, and I've finished up this year of college! Life is still hectic, with my crazy living situations and all the traveling/working that's in store, but it will just only get better. **** Please review, I really love to hear all you have to say! XOXO**

**Also, Lizzy's cell phone ring tone is **_**Je Veux te Voir **_**by Yelle.**


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